"The Darkness Series is a series of six fantasy novels by Harry Turtledove. Though a fantasy the general history, geography, and combatants are
analogs of World War II, or the "Derlavai War" in this universe.[1] Many of the characters are also the equivalents of historical people. Magic and
other fantastic beasts, like dragons, are also stand-ins for World War II technology. Important battles in the series are also based on famous World
War II battles, like the Battle of Sulingen which is an analog to the Battle of Stalingrad."

Almost the last person prosecuted for witchcraft in the UK was Helen Duncan, in 1944.

During World War II, in November 1941, Duncan held a séance in Portsmouth at which she indicated knowledge that HMS Barham had been sunk. Because
this fact was revealed, in strict confidence, only to the relatives of casualties, and not announced to the public until late January 1942, the Navy
started to take an interest in her activities. Two lieutenants were among her audience at a séance on 14 January 1944 and this was followed up on 19
January, when police arrested her at another séance as a white-shrouded manifestation appeared.[9] This proved to be Duncan herself, in a white cloth
which she attempted to conceal when discovered, and she was arrested.[10] She was also found to be in possession of a mocked-up HMS Barham
hat-band.[11] This apparently related to an alleged manifestation of the spirit of a dead sailor on HMS Barham, although Duncan appeared unaware that
after 1939 sailors did not wear hat-bands identifying their ship.[12] She was initially arrested under section 4 of the Vagrancy Act 1824, a minor
offence tried by magistrates. However, the authorities regarded the case as more serious, and eventually discovered section 4 of the Witchcraft Act
1735, covering fraudulent "spiritual" activity, which was triable before a jury. Charged alongside her for conspiracy to contravene this Act were
Ernest and Elizabeth Homer, who operated the Psychic centre in Portsmouth, and Frances Brown, who was Duncan's agent who went with her to set up
séances. There were seven counts in total, two of conspiracy to contravene the Witchcraft Act, two of obtaining money by false pretences, and three
of public mischief (a common law offence).

The last was:-
Jane Rebecca Yorke of Forest Gate in east London; on 26 September 1944 at the Central Criminal Court. Yorke was convicted on seven counts of
"pretending...to cause the spirits of deceased persons to be present" and bound over.
(from wiki)

I noticed that John Dee hadn't been mentioned so I thought I would pitch in.

He might be considered to be Britain's first (he lived 1527–1608) known magickal spy, as he worked for Queen Elizabeth the first.

He was a cryptographer, mathematician and hermeticist, widely known for speaking with angels and formulating his system of scrying in the
Enochian language, or Enochian Magick, as it is known in modern occult groups.

Rulers of all sorts have always consulted with those that they thought could see what others could not. It might be considered to be an early form of
information warfare. It still goes on today.

What a cool thread to post! There are countless claims of groves full of covens working against the Nazis in Britain. Most are just people of those
traditions who want something cool to say about their coven but there are definitely some that were actually active during that time that were
documented as being involved with either British officials or simply in cross-coven efforts.

Makes you wonder if this had anything to do with the British lifting the ban on witchcraft soon after the war, doesn't it?

I always figured one was born a Witch rather then becoming one through a craft or ability.
Which reasons out to them being a separate entity from a separate realm altogether in my mind.

What say you? If we are born human but can become witch/wizard why aren't there more?

Nobody is born a witch any more than a person can be born a Christian. Witchcraft, in its simplest terms, was a way for the rural folks to practice
the religions of the urban folks. It evolved into something much more and became an entire system for observing and living by the Earth's cycles and
by nature's rules.

From that whole concept rose a breed of witchcraft that we now know. Don't make the mistake of thinking that "Wicca" is the end-all be-all of
witchcraft or magick. For example, Crowley was a practitioner of "high magick" or "ceremonial magick" which is more of a secular version of
magick as opposed to witchraft which focuses more on spirituality.

I consider the shamans of every culture to be their culture's "witches". The word itself is just more stigmatized in western European lore but
it's a pretty flexible term.

Very interesting,thank you for posting,s+f.I loved reading about the old England when i was a child,and King Arthur,Merlin,and magic.Did you read the
books of Andre Norton? I remember reading somewhere, that Arthur would return to save England in its darkest hour.

I would never have been one for Witchcraft or even reincarnation BUT..since my eldest daughter has been able to talk she has been adamant that she is
a Witch, she is almost 4 now so this has been going on for a while, long enough to make we wonder..

My wife and I are truly at a loss for where she got this from, as I say, Witches and Witchcraft aren't something we would of ever talked about.

She even tells us about the 'good witches' and 'bad witches' and also has an English accent, we are from Northern Ireland, and her accent and how she
got it has been commented on by others.

My wife thinks I am slightly crazy (I think she is just too afraid to admit it) but I reckon my daughter has been 'here' before and was a Witch, so as
for people being born as a Witch, I think she was (BTW she is a Good Witch

Great post! Who knows how much of this is really true, all we can do these days is rely on history books and what they tell you, but as they say
history is written by the victors and I am sure that as the Allies were the victors and generally people of a Christian persuasion, would have been
reticent to state that British witches helped win the war.
So know doubt a lot of this would have been covered up from the people of the time, but only coming to light many years after the fact.
Considering how terrible the war was, I am sure any nation on the planet would use any means including the occult to stack the cards in their
favour.
There is quite a bit of evidence to suggest that the Germans were into the occult therefore not so hard to believe Britain was as well.

Absolutely the British fought very bravely and my hat goes off to them. But the fact of the matter is that without US help their time was numbered.
They would have simply been overwhelmed and would have ran out of supplies.

It was only a matter of time.

Didn't help that the USA was actually supporting both sides during the early years of the war.....

This content community relies on user-generated content from our member contributors. The opinions of our members are not those of site ownership who maintains strict editorial agnosticism and simply provides a collaborative venue for free expression.